PICNIC DAY

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 135, 30 January 1932, Page 6

PICNIC DAY

AT GOCHRANE PARK PLEASANT AFTERNOON ON OHAU CHANNEL BEACH INTERESTING PROGRAMME Ideal weather conditions, with an . interesting and unusual programme, ; combined to make the afternoon of Anniversary Day at Cochrane Park yesterday a very pleasant outing for the picnic parties who visited the excellent 'sandy beach at the inlet to the Ohau Channel. Although the programme was not ttndertaken on so comprehensive a scale as that which made Mr. Cochrane's New Year Day carnival such a successful initiai venture, a number of new ideas were introduced and kept the crowd interested throughoiit the afternoon. , Additional shelter which had been erected on the beach made excellent picnic spots and many visitors brought their cars into the grounds for further convenience. Adequate canteen arrangements and the tea-room facilities also proved very welcome^ and catered for the requirements of the visiting parties. Maori Events j The outstanding event of the afternoon, was the Maori canoe poi which proved so successful on New Year's Day in the setting given it by the Channel. Yesterday, however, three canoes were used, the first piloted solo by a very energetic wahine' poi leader, and two larger canoes following with the poi girls singipg their tuneful poi song as their craft drifted down the channel from the open lake. The whole staging made a very picturesque scene, and one which showed the graceful Maori national dance in the original setting from which it has evolved. After the canoes had "berthed, the Mourea poi team gave a very well executed exhibition of further pois, action songs and a concluding and very vigorous haka. The juveniles, who showed distinct promise, played a very large part in this section of the programme. The second of the two canoes was manned by a bevy of small Maori maidens who later cooperated with their older sisters in the dancing and singing. The girls had not matters all their own way, however, for a dozen dimunutive, but very vociferous small warriors, threw a great deal of vim into an excellent

haka. New items on the programme were the greasy boom pillow-fighting, a dog swimming race, and a barrel race in thh Channel, and all of them proved very successful. Astride on a greasy boom over the deep waters of the diving pool, quite a number of the competitors found that boom times are not always the best and suffered a sudden ducking in the Channel. The barrel race also proved a seVere test, as the competitors were required to pilot a large and very buoyant drum iuccessfully down the stream past the winning post. The event was won by the only competitor who succeeded n remaining astride his barrel, and the merit of his performance was not diminished in a'ny way by the fact that after he had passed the winning post, his steed became refractory and turned turtle with him. The dog. swimming race proved a very popular innovation and drew good entries. The canine competitors had no option but to make it a race, as they were given a boat trip into the open lake off the beach and then made to work their passages home. A popular favourite on New Year's Day, the horse swimming race again proved a spectacular portion of the programme, and provided a very close finish between two contestants who proved as capable performers in the water as they were on horse back; in addition to these events, a comprehensive programme of water sports was organised with diving, swimming, and under-water swimm- : ins: events.

j * Sports Results ^ Following were the results of the ^ various events: — ( Boy's Dive (under 16 years) : T. j Rupert 1, C. Tahuriorangi 2. Girl's Dive (under 16 years) : Miss ^ Y. Brockett 1, Miss M. Walker 2. j 1 Boys ' Swimming (under 16 years) : j D. Robinson 1, C. Tahuriorangi 2. J Girls' Swimming (under 16 years) : : Miss D. Menteath 1; Miss J. Ford 2. • i Men's Diving: J» Spencer 1, S. ^ Newton 2. . _ Ladies' Diving: R. Harron 1, B. Tumatahi. 2. i Underwater Swim: J. Rupert 1, C. Tahuriorangi 2. Men's Swimming: R. Paul 1; H. Makahi 2. Ladies' Swimming: B. Tumatahi 1, R. Harron 2. Boom pillow-hghting : D. Richards 1, J. Samuels 2. Greasy Boom: R. Edwards 1, T. Tumatahi 2. Barrel-race: S. Newton 1, W. Cann 2. Horse Swimming: R. Hunu 1, J. Phillip 2, T. White 3. Dog swimming race: Mr. Roger's "Spot" 1, Mr. Edwards' "Sandy" 2. Most attractive beach costume: Miss D. Yernall (the trophy for this event may be obtained at the "Morn-. ing Post" office.